Growing Garlic

Allium sativum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
        P P            

(Best months for growing Garlic in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Plant cloves
  • Easy to grow. Plant cloves. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 4 - 5 inches apart
  • Harvest in 17-25 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Beets, Carrots, Cucumbers, Dill, Tomatoes, Parsnips
  • Avoid growing close to: Asparagus, Beans, Brassicas, Peas, Potatoes

Your comments and tips

22 Aug 22, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
It does say Feb to April.
15 Aug 22, Jacques Labuschagne (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Can I plant garlic in KZN. It's a hot humid climate in the summer. Will get irrigation and water often.
06 Aug 22, R Hulse (USA - Zone 7b climate)
There are several types of garlic, but the main two are hardneck and softneck. Hardneck is for colder climates and softneck is for warmer climates. Not sure about elephant garlic or any of the others but you can search the internet to find out what zones they grow best in.
03 Aug 22, Jeanette (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I ask if I plant the galic now is a problem or what's time which season I must plant the the galic?
13 Aug 22, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
Mid Autumn - late March, April, early May. Harvest in November here in South Australia.
21 Jul 22, mini me (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I get my elephant garlic cloves started in egg trays, with a little water in the bottom . too get them to start rooting before i plant them. Its Way quicker then the fridge method. Also nothing worse then planting a garlic clove that wont root. This method works for me ,so i will continue to do it :)
09 Jul 22, Terry Scott (USA - Zone 3b climate)
I'm confused, nothing is said about over wintering for garlic, I live in zone 3b. Can I do all the above prep and cover with hay in my plot?
03 Jul 22, Rhonda Bowen (USA - Zone 6b climate)
Just to clarify what I think I understand…. If I buy one bulb of garlic and break it apart into individual cloves, I plant each clove and expect to get a growing bulb. Am I one the right track here?
05 Jul 22, (USA - Zone 4a climate)
Yes one clove will then grow and produce a new clump of cloves.
28 Jun 22, Geoffrey Page (Australia - temperate climate)
Can you grow garlic up in the northern Territory
Showing 121 - 130 of 907 comments

It is a bit of trial and error. Have good draining soil. Little plants need little waterings more often, daily, big plants a lot more water less often, 2-3 times per week. General rule dig down into the soil 50-70mm to see how moist the soil is. You will quickly learn that say a crop of lettuce might need 60 sec of watering. Whereas some mature tomatoes plants need 2-3 minutes.

- Another gardener

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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